Sole attaching machine



Nov. 20, 1956 J. s. KAMBORIAN 2,770,822

SOLE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nqv. 20, 1956 J. s. KAMBORIAN 7 SOLE ATTACHING MACHINE 7 Filed Oct. 16, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 [RI/e7 Z507 Jac0& liffairz 0i 'l'aia f am guvq Nov. 20, 1956 J. 5. KAMBORIAN 2,770,822

sou: ATTACHING MACHINE Filed on. 16,1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ira/6721507 cfacafi S/Yaznara'aza Nov. 20, 1956 J, 5, KAMBORIAN 2,770,822

SOLE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 A [a 0 F6 v v \J [ZZZ-5 .5.

Nov. 20, 1956 J. 5. KAMBORIAN 2,770,822

501.13 ATTACHING MACHINE Filed on. 16, 1952 e SheetsSheet 5 I 5 I I I I I I I I Nov. 20, 1956 J. 5. KAMBORIAN 7 SOLE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 P19 0%? 1954 w; 9 g 1 j7weizw Jaco5 6. [Warm United States PatentO "ice SOLE ATTACHING MACHINE Jacob Simon Kamhorian, WestNewton, Mass.-

Application October 16, 1952, Serial No. 315,031

12 Claims. (Cl. 1236.8)

This invention pertains to apparatus for applying conforming pressure to shoe soles (whether insoles or outer soles) and is useful, for example, in the cement-attach ing of outer soles to the bottoms of lasted shoes according to the so-called Compo process; for laying outer soles according, for example, to the Goodyear welt process; for leveling and ironing outer soles which have already been permanently attached to the bottoms of lasted shoes; or for pre-shaping inner or outer soles preparatory to their assembly with other partsof the shoe.

As herein illustrated by way of specific example, but without limiting intent, the apparatus is designed for use in the cement attaching of outer soles to the bottoms of lasted-shoes, being useful in the manufacture of shoes of all styles or sizes but being especially valuable, by reason'of its novel characteristics as compared with prior available apparatus, for cement attaching outer soles to deep shank shoes.

The majority of the shoes manufactured by the Compo process are womens dress shoes of light weight and dainty appearance. The shank portions of the soles of such shoes are usually reduced substantially to a feather edge and are convex. The edges of vthe forepart are also somewhat reduced and should hug the upper closely so that, with the close edge trimming which is practiced-in the manufacture of such shoes, the edge of the sole at the shank will be practically invisible and at the forepart will be quite inconspicuous when the shoes are worn.

It has heretofore been proposed to conform the outer sole to the bottom of the outer sole by the used fluid pressure, the sole being placed upon a rubber or similarly stretchable diaphragm forming one wall of a pressure box, the shoe being properly placed upon the sole and held down by appropriate means while fluid pressure is increased within the box until it is suficient to deflect the diaphragm and thereby conform the sole to the curvature of the'shoe bottom. Since the adhesive employed does not set instantly it is necessary to maintain the pressure for a substantial period of time, for example two or three minutes. Thus in prior types of machine wherein only one pressure box is provided, time is lost while the adhesive is setting unless two or three machines are available to the operator. To avoid such time lossv or the multiplication of machines it has heretofore been proposed to embody a plurality of pressure boxes in the same machine, for instance, by mounting them upon a rotating, horizontal table or on an endless chain conveyor. Usually in prior machines, where several pres sure boxes are employed, the pressure fluid is supplied from a single stationary source, for instance a reservoir, involving valve controls and elaborate precautions to avoid leakage. Thus prior multiple pressure box machines have been complicated and expensive besides occupying an undue amount of floor space. Furthermore, difficulty has been experienced in such machines in' obtaining effective pressure at all portions of the sole suf- 2,770,822 Patented Nev. 20, 1956 2, ficient with certainty to conform the sole so closely to the curvature of the shoe bottom as to insu-re adhesive contact of the opposed parts.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide apparatus of the class described which is very simple and relatively inexpensive; to provide apparatus of the multiple pressure-box type which occupies a minimum of'fl'qor space and which does not require undue head room'; to provide apparatus of the above type so designed that, although time is provided for setting'of the adhesive, the shoes may be introduced into the ma chine oneafter another as fast as they can conveniently be handled; to provide a machinehavin g hydraulic pressure-applying means of a very eflicient type so designed that although the pressure boxes move bodily along a predetermined path, no difficult problems of pressure control or avoidance of leakage are involved; to provide a machine wherein each pressure box has a sole-conforming diaphragm capableof elastically stretching to conform to any shape or contour of shoe bottoms andof resuming its initial shape immediately at the completion of each cycle and to provide apparatus which automatically adapts itself to shoes of substantially all sizes and styles. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and byv reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: a I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine with a part of the housing brokeuaway to show the drive gear foreffecting rotation of the shoe holding and conforming means;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding elevation with thefside wall omitted to show the shoe holding and conforming means in detail;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail showing the. cam tracks for controlling the shoe holding'and conforming means;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of'the machine with the front cover removed;

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal section of a pad' box;

Fig. 6 is aplan view to smaller scale of the 'top ofthe pad box;

Fig. '7 is a larger scale fragmentary vertical section longitudinally of the pad box' diaphragm;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken through the pad box showing the piston and valve control mechanism;

Fig. 9 is anisom'etric view of the pad box bracket;

Fig. 10 is an isometric view of the cam bar foreffecting operation of the fluid pressure piston;

Fig; 11 is an elevation of the jack'for holding'theshoe on the pad box;

Fig. 12 is a horizontalsection taken on the line 12'-12 ofFig. 11;

Fig. 13' is a transverse section taken on the line 13-'-13 of Fig. 12; and p I Figs. l4and'l5' illustrate sole feeding and conditioning means.

Referring to the drawings the machine has a" frame consisting of sheet metal end walls 12 and 14, a back wall 16 which joins the end walls and extends upwardly and over the top so as to form a hood-like top and a front wall 18 which is'bent inwardly so as to besomewhat re-entrant to provide space for the operatorso that he canstand close to the machine without bumping his knees or feet against the'lower part thereof. At the front of the machine'the side walls 12 and 14 are cut away to provide a work space or recess 20, the lower sides of the cuts being substantially horizontal, the backs 'v'er'tical and the tops inclined upwardly and forwardly from the back sides. The'top. terminates at theupp'er ends of the inclined cuts and the upper end of'the front wall terminates at the level of the horizontal cuts. The fore- 3 going frame members may be bolted or welted together depending upon what seems to be most expedient.

The operating mechanism of the machine is mounted within the hood-like frame and to this end the walls 12 and 14 are provided with reinforcing bearing blocks 22 in which are journaled the opposite ends of a shaft 24, the latter being disposed in a horizontal position transversely of the walls for supporting the operating mechanism for rotation about a horizontal axis. The shaft 24 has on it midway between the side walls within the housing a large flat disk 28 having laterally projecting bosses 30 forming bearings for supporting it for rotation on the shaft 24. At circumferentially spaced points, four as illustrated herein, supports 32 are made fast to the disk. Each support comprises apair of plates 34 having a butt end 36 from which projects a web 38, the latter being bent laterally with respect to the butt. The butts of the plate are made fast to the opposite sides of the disks by means of bolts 40 so that the web portions 38 project outwardly therefrom in diverging relation. The upper edges of the webs are recessed to provide a seat for a flat plate 42 which is placed across the webs and fastened thereto by welding. The plane of each plate is parallel to a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the shaft 24 and isoffset sufficiently so that the top of a pad box 44, to be described hereinafter, resting on the plate will be substantially in the plane passing through the center of rotation.

One of each pair of the supports 32 has projecting laterally from its butt 36 a web 46, the end of which'is bent to provide a flange 48 which is substantially parallel to the plane of the disk 28. The flange 48 provides means to which may be bolted so as to be concentric with the axis of the shaft 24, a ring gear 50. A shaft 52 is journaled in the side wall 12 and has on its inner end a pinion 54 which meshes with teeth 56 formed internally of the ring gear and on its outer end a belt pulley 58. At the base of the frame there is a motor M which has a shaft 60 projecting through the wall 12 on which is made fast a pulley 62. An endless belt 64 is entrained about the pulleys 58 and 62 and provides means for rotating the pinion and hence the ring gear 50 which in turn rotates the disk 28 about the shaft 24. As constructed the rate of rotation is controlled so that the plates supporting the pad boxes will be presented at the work opening 20 continuously but slow enough for an operator to remove the shoe already operated upon and to replace it with a lasted upper to which a sole is to be attached. While rotation of the disk illustrated herein is continuous, the rate of rotation being about four to six revolutions per minute, and at such speed there is ample time for skilled operators to remove and insert new work, it is within the scope of the invention to provide for intermittent rotation so that each support will come to rest at the work opening momentarily and then resume rotation, the momentary pause in rotation being of sufficient duration to enable the operator to remove the work which is completed and insert new work. There are many conventional mechanisms for effecting intermittent rotation, any of which may be employed herein.

Each pad box 44 (Fig. as heretofore stated is seated on a plate 42 and is fastened thereto by bolts 64 passing through apertures in the plate and threaded into lugs 66 formed on the sides of the box. Each pad box is of rigid, substantially rectangular shape having end walls 68 and front and rear walls 70 and 72. The rim of the box has a peripheral head 74 and there is placed over the top of the box a diaphragm 76 which is held in place across the open top of the box by a frame 78 which is placed over the rim of the box and clamped against the marginal edges of the diaphragm by bolts 80 which pass through lugs 82 formed on the walls of the box and are threaded into the underside of the frame. 1

The diaphragm is flexible and elastic to a degree, being made of layers of elastic material, for example, rubber or one of the elastic synthetic plastics reinforced with a fabric, preferably a cotton fabric. While it is desirable that the diaphragm-through its flexibility and elasticity be.

displaced in such fashion as to wrap itself about the shank, ball and toe portions of the shoe bottom so that it conforms the sole to the shoe bottom accurately, it is not desirable for it to act on the heel end of the shoe particu larly in the vicinity of the counter since it is very apt to crush the counter or at least distort it. Accordingly, a reinforcing member 84 in the form of a steel plate is incorporated in the rear end of the diaphragm so as to prevent the diaphragm at this part from wrapping about the heel under pressure from within the box. The steel plate is cemented between two of the plys of the diaphragm, preferably the bottom ply and the ply above it and is dimensioned so that three of its edges will be supported by an end and the adjacent sides of the box when the diaphragm is clamped thereto. The ends and edges of the plate will support the diaphragm when the jack is brought down against the top of the last at the heel end against depression of the heel into the diaphragm without interfering with the depression of the toe into the diaphragm forwardly of the plate and will prevent pressure from within the box from wrapping the sheet upwardly about the counter without impairing complete and free wrapping of the diaphragm about the forepart of the shoe even up to the breast line of the heel. A description of the pad box and diaphragm in greater detail is the subject matter of my copending application, Serial No. 315,227, filed October 17, 1952, now Patent No. 2,728,095, granted on December 27, 1955.

The back wall 72 of the pad box has a pair of spaced circular openings 86 and 88 through it. A cylinder 90 is inserted through the opening 86 as shown in Fig. 8 and is held in place by a flange 92 and bolts 94. The cylinder has a piston 98 in it to which there is fastened a rod 100 which extends through the back of the cylinder. As shown in Fig. 10, the end of the piston rod has an eye 102 for connecting it to a driving member 104. The driving member is in the form of a long bar arranged substantially horizontally between the frame walls parallel to the axis of rotation of the disk and has a horizontal slot 106 formed in its forward edge for reception of the eye. The eye is fastened to the bar by a pin 108 which is dropped through an elongate slot 110 in the top of the bar and through the eye and is threaded in the bottom' of the slot. The eye is somewhat larger than the pin 108 and the slot 110 is larger than the shank of the pin so that both the pin and the eye are loosely engaged thus allowing play between the piston rod and the bar thereby to eliminate binding. The bar 104 passes through a slot 112 formed in the disk for this purpose and has pivotally mounted at its ends cam followers 114 as shown in Fig. 10 which are arranged to run in cam tracks 115 fastened to the inner sides of the side walls.

Referring to Fig. 3, each cam track is made up of a pair of circular plates 116 and 118 secured to the side walls 12 and 14, the plate 116 being of larger diameter than the plate 118. A circular flange 120 is fastened to the plate 116 and a circular flange 122 is fastened to the plate 118, the flanges being concentric and projecting laterally of the plates so as to form a cam groove 124 which is defined by the concentrically running flanges. At one place in the flange 122 located opposite the work opening there is a gap 126 and a cam plate 128 is placed in the gap and bolted to the plate 118. The cam plate has an inwardly extending cam wall 128. Correspondingly, the flange 120 has a gap 130 in it and in the gap is bolted a cam plate 132 having an outwardly extending wall 134. In the space between the walls 129 and 134 is bolted a delta 136. As the disk 28 is rotated the cam followers 114 move along the cam groove 124 Which for the most part is concentric with the center of rotation and hence the piston 98 is held at a fixed position, namely at the inner extremity of its stroke throughout the greater part of rotation of the disks. Near the end of rotation, that is when the pad box is approaching the work opening 20 at the-front of the machine, the cam followers 114.1eave the groove 124 and travel inwardly along the inwardly extending wall 129, that is toward the axis of rotation which in turn permits the piston 98 to be forced outwardly of the pad box into that part of the cylinder 90 located externally of the box. No springs or other compulsive means are required to cause the cam followers 114 to follow the wall inwardly because the fluid pressure within the pad box automatically forces the piston outwardly.

The wall 129 is dimensioned to permit the piston to remain in a withdrawn position while the pad box is at the work opening and to restore the piston to operative position as the pad box begins to leave the work opening.

The purpose of the piston 98 is to displace a liquid contained within the pad box so as to force the elastic diaphragm 76 to conform to the bottom of the lasted shoe placed on the pad box and held thereagainst by a jack 138 which will be described hereinafter. Each pad box is filled with a liquid, for example, aspecially prepared hydraulic oil, ordinary lubricating oil, Prestone or any other suitable pressuretransmitting fluid which will not deteriorate through prolonged use or adversely affect the metal of the pad box of the diaphragm. When the piston is forced inwardly it displaces the fluid forcing the diaphragm upwardly against the lasted shoe which is held down by the jack so that the diaphragm wraps itself upwardly about the bottom of the shoe except for the heel end thereof and conforms accurately to the shank portion of the shoe and the toe even Where the shank is very deep, such as in high heel womens shoes.

It is important to fill the pad box with the pressure fluid to the exclusion of air since air is highlycompressive and the presence of air in any quantity would seriously impair operation making it impossible to secure the necessary pressure to effect proper wrapping action.

The heel end of the diaphragm is of course prevented from wrapping itself about the heel part of the shoe by reason of the aforementioned reinforcing plate contained within the diaphragm.

Shoes vary in size, shape and depth of shanks and since the stroke of the piston 98 is constant the displacement must be sufficient to cause the diaphragm to wrap around the lower part of the smallest shoe that is to be operated upon. Accordingly, when a large shoe is to be operated upon or one with a shallow shank, excessive pressure will build up in the pad box since the diaphragm cannot rise as extensively and hence provision must be made for taking care of the excessive displaced fluid to prevent bursting the diaphragm. Accordingly, an accumulator in the form of a second cylinder 140 is bolted to the pad box within the opening 88 and has in it a piston 142 which is backed by a spring 144 so that the piston normally occupies that part of the cylinder inside the housing but may be moved rearwardly by excessive pressures in the pad box so as to compress the spring into the cylinder externally of the pad box. The capacity of the cylinder 146 must be designed to be large enough to take up the excessive fluid which has been forced into it when the largest shoe is operated upon. The fluid in the pad box is admitted to the end of the cylinder 140 by way of a one-way valve V which has in it a spring biased valve disk 146 set to admit the fluid only after a predetermined pressure is reached. The valve is fastened over a hole 148 in the wall of the box and has a threaded cover 150 in the side next to the hole which may be removed to change the spring S and hence to change the pressure at which fluid will be admitted to the cylinder. After the pressure is released it is necessary to return the excess fluid from the accumulator hence a one-way valve V is connected to the inner end of the cylinder 140 which is loaded with a spring. S. The valve V has in it a valve disk 152 and a discharge orifice 154. The valve system operates as follows: when the pressure in the pad box reaches a predetermined amount fluid flows from it past the valve disk 146 of the valve V, through conduit to the cylinder and drives the piston 142 rearwardly against the spring 144. At the sametirne an equal pressure acts on the outer end of the valve disk 152 in the valve V holding it against its seat, so that no fluid can flow out of the 'valve V as long as the pressures within and without the cylinder 140 are equal. When the pressure within the pad box is released by retraction of the piston 98, the pressure in the pad box falls so that the pressure within the cylin= der 140 now exceeds that in the pad box. This pressure to which is added the spring 144 'unseats the valve disk 152 so that the fluid in the cylinder is permitted to return to the pad box.

The lasted shoe and sole to be attached thereto after being placed on the diaphragm 76 are held against the diaphragm during the application of pressure, by the hold down jack 138. A jack 138 is pivotally mounted on the disk 28 adjacent to each pad box for holding a heel and toe plate in a position to engage the top of the last. The jack is mounted on a pin 156 inserted through bearing bosses 158 fast to the opposite sides of the disks through which the pin projects so that its ends project from the opposite sides of the disk. The jack consists of a pair of plates 160 of bell crank shape having upper arms 162, lower arms 164and bearing bosses 166 at the intersection of the arms. The upper arms 162 have laterally projecting bearing bosses 168 through which a pm 170 is placed. The pin 170provides support for the heel and toe plates. The lower arms 164 have laterally extending bosses 172 through which there is placed the shaft 174. Cam followers 176 are mounted at the ends of the shaft 174 for engagement with the cam groove 124 provided by the cam plates 116 and 118 described heretofore. The shaft 174 passes through the disk 28, a slot 178 being provided for this purpose. During rotation of the disk the heel and toe plates carried by the upper arm 162 are held clamped against the top of the last for the greater part of the rotation but as the disk approaches the work opening 20 the followers 176 are allowed to move forwardly through the gap 130 of the flange 120 against the outwardly extending wall 134. To insure the cam followers 176 following the outer wall rather than the inner one, coiled hair pin springs 180 are placed on the shaft 156 so as-to bear against the bell crank and bias it in a clockwise direction. The wall 134 is so dimensioned that the jack will be held in an elevated inoperative position while the pad box is moving through the work opening and to depress it as the pad box descends thereby to engage the work and hold it-against the diaphragm pending operation of the piston to inflate the diaphragm about the work. The cams are so designed that the piston is withdrawn prior to elevation of the jack as the work approaches the work opening and vice versa as the WOI'k leaves the work opening. The delta 136 placed between the oppositely ex-,

tending walls assists in guiding the cams along their respective channels.

The toe and heel platesas indicated above are pivot ally supported on the pin 170 and are constructed so as to be adjustable vertically with respect to the diaphragm and longitudinally thereof for different size lasts. As herein illustrated a block 182 is provided which has a boss 184 projecting from one edge thereof about midway between its ends through which there is a hole 186 run ning parallel to the length of the block for receiving the pin 17b thereby holding the block for swinging movement to and from with respect to the front of the machine and with its longitudinal axis parallel to the pad. The block is cut away to provide suitable mounting space for mechanisms for adjusting the heel and toe plates. Thus at one end a through slot 188 is cut in which is slidably mounted a carriage block 190. The carriage block 190 has in it a vertical hole 192 and intermediate its top and bottom a slot 194 extending through it from front to back so as to intersect the vertical hole 192. A screw threaded staff 196 is placed in the vertical hole 192 and where it passes through the slot 194 it also is threaded through a helical gear 198 located in the slot. The block 190 also has a slot 200 in it adjacent to the slot 194 which is at right angles thereto and in this slot 200 there is placed a gear 202 which meshes with the gear 198. The gear 202 is mounted loosely on a shaft 204 journaled in the block so as to pass through the slot 200 and has on it a handle 206 by which it may be rotated. The rear side of the block 190 is cut away to form a rabbet along its lower side so that it is thinner than the body of the block and the shaft 204 projects through into the rabbet and has fast to it a pinion gear 208. Along the lower edge of the slot 188 at the rear side there is a rack 210 with which the pinion 208 meshes. Rotation of the handle 206 will therefore cause the carriage block 190 to move longitudinally along the slot 188 so as to move the staff 196 and hence the toe block lengthwise of the pad box. The gear 202 has on its face at the pitch. diameter of the pinion gear 208 three pins 212, and the shaft 204 is movable axially so as to draw the pinion 208 against the face of the gear 202 and to engage the pins 212 between its teeth thereby locking the gear 202 to the shaft 204. When this is done rotation of the handle 206 will rotate the helical gear 198 thus raising or lowering the staff. While the pinion 208 continues to rotate, since it is disengaged from the rack, it does not interfere with the elevation of the staff. The staff 196 has pivotally fastened to its lower end a toe plate. The toe plate 222 consists of a block 238 having a concave underside 240 shaped to conform substantially to the toe of the last transversely thereof. A thick. felt pad 242 is cemented to its underside so as to take its curvature and a leather sheath 244 is placed about the felt and secured to the block so as to take up the wear.

The heel plate 214 is pivotally fastened to the lower end of a threaded staff 224 placed in a vertical hole 226 formed in the opposite end of the block 182 and consists of a metal block 216 having a flat lower surface 218 to which is fastened a sheet of neoprene 220. A helical gear 228 is mounted in a slot 230 intersecting the hole 226 and is threaded to receive the staff 224. A second gear 232 mounted in a slot 234 meshes with the gear 228 and this is rotated by a shaft 236 so as to raise or lower the staff.

Referring to Figs. 14 and 15, there is illustrated means for successively supplying soles having adhesive applied to their margins conditioned for application to the shoe bottom at a rate corresponding to the movement of the pad boxes so that a sole will be available each time a pad box arrives at the work opening. To this end a magazine 250 is mounted on brackets 252 attached to one of the side walls of the machine, within which may be stacked a pile of soles, each of which has applied to its flesh surface marginally thereof an adhesive of the kind which is thermosetting. The magazine has an opening in its bottom through which the soles may gravitate, the lowermost sole being supported on an inclined tray or slide 254 also supported by the brackets below the magazine. The forward end of the tray terminates close to the work opening in a convenient place for the operator to reach out and pick up a sole lying thereon. The space between the bottom of the hopper and the top of the tray is approximately the thickness of the sole and a feeder is mounted on the tray which is reciprocated so as to engage the rear edge of a sole resting on a tray and push it forwardly along the tray. The feeder may be a fiat plate 256, the rear end of which is connected to a link 258. Link 258 has at its lower end a follower 264 which rides on a cam 266 for effecting reciprocation of the feeder plate. The cam is driven in timed relation with the pad box support or at some multiple I the last.

thereof so as to supply soles at the proper intervals and to this end it may be connected by suitable meansto the shaft 24 or a take off therefrom. As stated the adhesive is thermosetting and at the time the soles are stacked in the magazine it is hard and not in condition for application to the bottom of the shoe. It is necessary therefore before the sole reaches the end of the tray to condition the adhesive by the application of heat to soften it and make it ready for application to the shoe bottom. Accordingly, a heater 268 is mounted on the side of the magazine above the slide and spaced therefrom so that as the soles are pushed along the tray they will be exposed to heat from the heater. The heater is provided with ordinary electric coils which become incandescent upon passage of current therethrough so that the adhesive is activated by the direct rays of heat from the coils. Alternatively, high frequency heat may be employed. The least expensive heating is effected by direct heating coils but this necessarily applies the same degree of heat to the uncoated area of the sole as to the coated area. Activation takes place at about F. so that the sole is quite hot when delivered. The operators pick up the soles and place them against the bottom of the lasted shoes pressing them in place with the palms of their hands prior to placing the assembly on the diaphragm in the pad box and as a result their hands soon become swollen from the heat. Accordingly, it is desirable to shield the soles from the heat except for the marginal portions thereof which carry the adhesive. This may be accomplished by providing shielding means in the form of a shield plate which may be interposed between the heating coils and the sole resting on the tray. Preferably, a non-conductive sheet material 272 is employed corresponding in shape to a sole but smaller in area by the width of the marginal portion of the sole. Such a plate may be mounted on a suitable frame 274 and slid through a slot in the side of the heater box so as to rest on supports therein and so as to be readily removable for replacement with a plate of different size for a sole of different size. Since it is customary to run a number of soles of the same size through at one time before changing to a different size the necessity for changing the shield plate for different size soles does not present a serious problem.

In preparation for operating the foregoing apparatus a stack of soles of given size are dropped in the magazine and the heater is turned on so as to give sufiicient time for the coils to heat up to a temperature at which proper activation of the thermosetting adhesive will take place. At the same time a shield of proper size is so lected and is inserted in the heater. The jack is now adjusted to bring the heel and toe plates to their approximate position for the shoes being operated upon whereupon the machine is started. The apparatus is now in readiness for operation and so the operator then picks up a lasted shoe from the rack and a sole from the end of the tray, the adhesive at its marginal edge having been activated by the heater, and presses it against the bottom of the shoe which causes it to stick to the bottom temporarily due to the tackiness of the adhesive. The shoe with the sole temporarily attached thereto is then placed on the diaphragm 76 of the pad box so that the neck of the last is adjacent to the jack 138 and is held by the operator as the pad box descends and until the jack actually brings the heel and toe plates into engagement with A final adjustment of the heel and toe plates may now be made. The lasted shoe and bottom are spotted on the diaphragm partly by the natural depression in the diaphragm and partly by suitable marks placed thereon. In any event the last must be placed so that its heel rests on the stiffened portion of the diaphragm and its toe is cradled in the concaved part thereof. As descent continues the cam followers 176 are engaged by the lower shoulders of the walls 134 so as to tilt the lower arm 164 of the jack rearwardly and hence to depress the heel and toe plates into contact with the heel end and toe of the last and force it downwardly against the diaphragm.

Immediately following the application of pressure to the top of the last the cam followers 114 engage the lower shoulders of the walls 129 and force the piston 98' inwardly so as to displace fluid in the pad box and cause the diaphragm to conform to the bottom of the shoe. If the shoe is of such size that there is excess fluid this will be forced into the accumulator cylinder 140. The shoe will then remain under conforming pressure throughout movement of the work until it reaches the work opening again whereupon the piston will be released 'by descent of the followers 114 over the upper shoulders of the walls 129 so that it will be displaced from the pad box. Immediately following this the fol? lowers 176 will pass over the upper shoulders of the walls 134' and the jack will be elevated thus releasing the" 'work and enabling the operator to remove a finished shoe. v The period of time it takes for the work to move completely about the axis 24 from the lower part of the work op'ening to the upper part is suflicient to insure complete setting of the bond.

While there are four pad boxes and jacks shown on the support it is obvious that a different number could bensed depending upon the size of the apparatus. As illustrated herein the pad boxes are arranged so that a left follows a right thus successive pad boxes will take a pair of shoes. It is, however, contemplated that the apparatus may be modified so that two pad boxes may be mounted side by side, that is a left and a right so that four pairs of shoes may be operated upon in the apparatus at one time.

One of the chief advantages of the apparatus is that there is no need for hydraulic connections between the pad boxes and a source of reservoir of fluid as in prior machines using pad boxes since each conforming unit which includes a pad box and jack is complete within itself. Thus the great disadvantage of prior apparatus with its maze of hydraulic tubing and couplings and with the constant difiiculties involved in maintaining pressure tight junctions between the pad boxes and the tubing is avoided. Another distinct and important advantage is that contra to prior apparatus wherein provision for varyin'g the displacement of the diaphragm for shoes of different size has been provided for by varying the amount of pressure fluid let into the pad box which required the use of adjustable valves, variable displacement of the diaphragm accompanied by a conforming pressure of a predetermined value is attained in the present apparatus by displacing a constant volume of fluid during each conforming operation and providing an accumulator for receiving such volume of the displaced fluid as would cause the pressure to exceed the aforesaid predetermined value.

While the apparatus is described for use in attaching soles to shoe bottoms it is also contemplated that it may be used to level or mold soles already attached since the pressing pressure may be varied widely not only to secure an attaching bond but also to effect a molding. Moreover, because of the special function and construction of the diaphragm there is no danger in such operations of spoiling the counter at the heel end of the shoe. It is also contemplated that the molding action which may be secured with this apparatus be used in premolding soles or other bottom elements prior to application to the lasted bottom.

It is contemplated that the individually operated pad boxes described above may be replaced on the rotating support by other individually operated pad boxes of similar design, for example, a fluid pressure box wherein the piston is omitted and the wrapping is effected by sinking the shoe in to the diaphragm as described in another of my copending applications for a two-station sole laying machine, a magnetic pad box wherein the diaphragm is caused to conform to the bottom of the shoe by magnetic constriction of the diaphragm about the shoe as described 10 in another of my copendingapp'lications for magnetic pad box and finally a mechanically actuated diaphragm wherein parts are mechanically actuated to cause the diaphragm to conform to the bottom of the shoe asillustrated in still another of my copending applications for a mechanically operated diaphragm.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and'that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a pressure box closed at its top by a flexible diaphragm, a hollow cylinder fixed to the box, the interior of the cylinder communicating with the interior of the box, said box and cylinder constituting a closed system containing a fixed volume of fluid, a piston within the cylinder, means for moving the box bodily along a predetermined path, and means for'moving'the piston within the cylinder as the box moves along said path.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprisinga pressure box whose top wall consists of an elastically stretchable diaphragm, a rigid, hollow cylinder fixed to the box, the interior of the cylinder communicating with the interior of the box, said box and cylinder constituting a closed system containing a fixed volume of fluid, a piston within the cylinder, means for moving the box bodily alonga closed path, and means operative, as the box tray els along a predetermined part of said path, to move the piston in the cylinder.

3'. Apparatus of the class described comprising a pressure box'having rigid side and bottom walls and a top wall which is elastically stretchable, said box containing a fluid, a rigid, hollow cylinder external to the box and fixed to one side wall of the box, the interior of the cylinder cornmunicating' with the interior of the box, said box and cylinder constituting a closed system containing a fixed volume of fluid, a piston within the cylinder, means for'moving the box bodily along a closed path, and cam means operative, as the box travels along said path, to move the piston within the cylinder.

4. Apparatus accordingto claim 3 including a reservoir external to but fixed relatively to the box, and means including automatically actuating valves operative to permit pressure fluid to flow from the box into the reservoir when the pressure within the box reaches a predetermined value and to return from the reservoir to the box when the pressure in the box drops substantially below said value.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 including an accumulator reservoir, external to the box, and means including a one-way valve operative to permit pressure fluid to flow from the box into the reservoir when the pressure within the box reaches a predetermined value and a oneway valve operative to permit pressure fluid to flow from the accumulator reservoir back into the box when the pressure within the box drops substantially below said value.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3 including an accumulator reservoir, external to the box, a spring pressed member in the accumulator displaceable against the spring to increase its capacity to receive fluid, a valve automatically operative to permit pressure fluid to flow from the box into the reservoir against the movable member to displace the same and a valve automatically operative to permit flow of pressure fluid from the accumulator back into the box when the pressure in the box drops substantially below the pressure exerted by the spring on the movable member.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3 including an accumulator in the form of a cylinder having a spring backed piston therein which normally excludes fluid from the cylinder, means operative to allow pressure fluid to flow from the box into said cylinder against the piston when the pressure in the box rises to a predetermined value, said piston being displaceable against the spring to accommodate sufficient fluid flowing from the box to maintain said predetermined pressure within the box, and means operative to permit the fluid to flow from the cylinder back to the box when the pressure in the box drops substantially below said predetermined pressure, restoration of the fluid to the box being effected by said spring backed piston.

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising a frame provided with bearings for a horizontal shaft, means for turning the shaft continuously, a plurality of rigid supports radiating from the shaft, a pressure box mounted on each respective support, each pressure box having rigid side and bottom walls and a top wall which consists of an impervious elastically stretchable diaphragm, each box containing a fluid, a rigid, hollow cylinder fixed to the inner side wall of each box, the interior of each cylinder communicating with the interior of its respective box, a piston in each cylinder, a shoe-clamping lever associated with each box, each clamping lever having an arm which overhangs its respective box and which is operative to hold a shoe downwardly against the diaphragm, and cam means fixed relatively to the frame and which is operative, as the shaft turns, to actuate each clamping lever and each piston thereby to clamp a shoe to the diaphragm and thereafter to increase the fluid pressure in each successive box.

9. Apparatus of the class described comprising a plurality of pressure boxes, the top wall of each box being an elastically stretchable diaphragm, each box containing a fluid, a cylinder rigidly fixed to each respective box, the interior of the cylinder being in communication with the interior of the box, said box and cylinder constituting a closed system containing a fixed volume of fluid, a piston in each cylinder, a clamping device operably associated with each box, for movement to and from the box to clamp a shoe resting on the diaphragm, a frame,

a carrier supported for movement on the frame in a predetermined path for moving the several boxes in succession from a loading station located substantially at waist height at the front of the frame where a shoe may be placed on the diaphragm along a closed path and back to the loading station where the finished shoe may be removed, interengaged cam means on the carrier and frame operative as a box leaves the loading station to effect movement of the clamping device toward the box thereby toclamp a shoe against the diaphragm, and another interengageable cam means carried by the carrier 12 and frame operative as the box leaves the loading station to actuate the piston and thereby increase the fluid pressure within the box.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the cam means which actuates the pistons is constructed and arranged to hold the piston stationary and thereby to maintain the increased pressure within the box until the box again approaches the loading station.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the cam means for actuating the clamping device releases the latter as the box again approaches the loading station.

12. Apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, a plurality of pressure boxes closed at their tops by flexible diaphragms, means supporting the boxes on the frame for bodily movement along .a closed path to present boxes successively to a place for loading and unloading at the front of the frame, each box containing a fixed volume of pressure fluid independently of any common source of pressure fluid, means carried by each box operable to increase the fluid pressure in the box witha corresponding inflation of the diaphragm up to a predetermined pressure, and means carried by the frame cooperable with the last-named means as the box supporting means moves along said closed path to efiect actuation thereof as the box leaves the loading place in one direction and for rendering the last-named means ineffective so as to relieve the pressure and hence deflate the dia phragm as the box approaches said loading place from the opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 553,949 Winkley Feb. 4, 1896 557,744 Winkley Apr. 7, 1896 1,495,163 Casgrain May 27, 1924 1,642,017 Estey Sept. 13, 1927 1,837,688 Sunde Dec. 22, 1931 1,902,399 Finn Mar. 21, 1933 1,949,537 Finn Mar. 6, 1934 1,950,546 Finn Mar. 13, 1934 2,263,673 Brauner Nov. 25, 1941 2,435,582 Gulbrandsen Feb. 10, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 233,034 Great Britain Apr. 30, 1925 363,907 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1931 

